Trial In The Delta: The Murder Of Emmett Till presented by Collaboraction
The timing of this inaugural production carries particular resonance for Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley. "As Collaboraction turns 30 and opens our new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park, we couldn't co-dream a more relevant first production than Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, bringing to life the trial that served as a catalyst of the start of the Civil Rights movement," said Moseley. "When Mamie Till said that 'everybody's business is my business,' it's as if she had a dream for a Beloved Community. We are honored to be a part of her legacy and manifesting our new space for arts, youth, social justice and community."The production transforms the original trial transcript from September 1955 into an immersive theatrical experience that positions audiences as witnesses to history. Co-adapted by Willie Round and G. Riley Mills and co-directed by Anthony Moseley and Dana Anderson, the docudrama recreates the proceedings that took place in Sumner, Mississippi following the murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till. Actors seated throughout the audience rise to deliver testimony from both prosecution and defense, including the powerful voice of Mamie Till-Bradley, Emmett's mother whose courage helped catalyze the Civil Rights movement.
This staging represents the most ambitious version of a production that has already garnered significant recognition. The work originated from a collaboration with NBC5 Chicago and earned a National Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary, two Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards, and a Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association. After two brief runs at the DuSable Black History Museum, with the final February 2023 performance professionally filmed, the production has been screened for numerous organizations including The Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley Institute, the Chicago History Museum, the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and the First Circuit Court of Philadelphia.
Now, with a multi-week run at Collaboraction's permanent home, the production will feature both returning ensemble members and new voices bringing these historical figures to life. The immersive format places audiences directly within the courtroom atmosphere, creating an immediate connection to events that continue to resonate nearly seventy years later.
Collaboraction's new House of Belonging offers a sleek 4,000-square-foot space featuring a 99-seat flexible studio theater and a 50-seat cabaret with cafe and bar. The Kimball Arts Center location provides convenient access for theatregoers, with free street parking available nearby and the 82 Kimball-Homan CTA bus stopping directly in front of the building. The venue is also easily reached via a short walk from the Kimball stop on the 72 North and 73 Armitage bus lines, while cyclists and pedestrians can access the space directly from the Kimball trailhead on The 606.
The production invites Chicago audiences to engage with a pivotal moment in American history through the power of live theatre, honoring Emmett Till's legacy while sparking conversations about justice and equality that remain urgent today.